But in footage captured near Puna by local resident and community activist Ikaika Marzo, the lava-berg can be be seen melting away as it scuds on top of a river of fire emanating from fissure 8 in the Kilauea volcano.

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Wendy Stovall, a scientist with the US Geological Survey scientist, said the balls can be several metres wide.

‘They can roll around as they move through the channel and liquid lava will coat itself to the outside making the lava ball grow as it moves along,’ she told Hawaii News Now.

‘Smaller chunks of cooler lava can also tack itself on, and the whole thing continues to grow. Imagine making a snowball by rolling it in snow. It’s a similar, albeit much hotter, process.’